Multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system

ABSTRACT

A multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system includes five types of basic sphere pieces. The basic sphere pieces comprise one three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces. The three-sphere piece has a 120-angled array. The first four-sphere piece is arranged in a vaulted array, the second four-sphere piece in a first three-sphere linear array, the third four-sphere piece in a second three-sphere linear array, and the fourth sphere piece in a right-angled array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system. Particularly, the present invention also relates to the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system including five basic sphere pieces consisting of identical spheres. More particularly, the present invention also relates to the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system including one three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces that provides for selection in various types and a desired amount thereof to combine various pyramidal arrays.

2. Description of the Related Art

A well-known pyramid sphere-puzzle system in the art has been widely used for a challenging educational and manipulative game. Basically, the pyramid sphere-puzzle system is assembled into a pyramidal array. Many patents disclose various pyramid sphere-puzzle systems as described more fully below.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,652, issued on Sept. 24, 1974, to Kuwagaki, discloses a pyramid sphere-puzzle system including a plurality of basic sphere pieces. The basic sphere pieces include a two-sphere piece and four three-sphere pieces which consist of a line sphere piece, a 120-angled sphere piece, a right-angled sphere piece and a triangular sphere piece. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form a pyramidal array with various orders.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,645, issued on Mar. 13, 1976, to Roberts, discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including a plurality of basic sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces include three-sphere pieces and four-sphere pieces to assemble a pyramidal array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,247, issued on Nov. 29, 1977, to Kobres, Jr., discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including three basic sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces include a six-connected sphere piece in a planar rhomboid array, a two-connected sphere piece in a linear array and a four-connected sphere piece in a linear array to assemble a pyramidal array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,103, issued on Jan. 29, 1991, to Cheng, discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including five basic five-sphere pieces. The first basic five-sphere piece is arranged in a pentagonal array, the second basic piece in a first 120-angled array, the third basic piece in a second 120-angled array, the fourth basic piece in a double-linear array and the fifth basic piece in a four-sphere linear array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,745, issued on Oct. 28, 2003, to Vardanyan, discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including a plurality of basic sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces include a four-connected sphere piece, a 2×3-array piece, a six-connected sphere piece, a 2×5-array array, a 3×4-array piece, a three-connected L-shaped sphere piece and four-connected L-shaped sphere piece. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the square-based pyramidal array with various orders.

Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 188,925 discloses another pyramid sphere-puzzle system including two basic five-sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces include a pentagon-array sphere piece and a 120-angled sphere piece. In puzzle game, two of the pentagon-array sphere pieces and two of the 120-angled sphere pieces can be assembled to form the triangle-based pyramidal array with the fourth order.

However, in addition to the above-mentioned patents, there exist several other pyramid sphere-puzzle systems assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.

The present invention intends to provide a multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system including five basic sphere pieces. The types of the basic sphere pieces consist of a single three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of this invention is to provide a multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system including one three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces that provides for selection in various types and a desired amount thereof to combine various pyramidal arrays. Thereby, it may increase challenging difficulties in puzzle game.

The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention includes five types of basic sphere pieces. The basic sphere pieces comprise one three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces. The three-sphere piece has a 120-angled array. The first four-sphere piece is arranged in a vaulted array, the second four-sphere piece in a first three-sphere linear array, the third four-sphere piece in a second three-sphere linear array, and the fourth sphere piece in a right-angled array. In puzzle game, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the pyramidal array with various orders.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a single three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces of a multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention, assembling two three-sphere pieces and a four-sphere piece with a three-sphere linear array to form a pyramidal array with the third order;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention, assembling two three-sphere pieces and a four-sphere piece with a vaulted array to form a pyramidal array with the third order;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention, assembling four three-sphere pieces and two four-sphere pieces each having a three-sphere linear array to form a pyramidal array with the fourth order;

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention, assembling four three-sphere pieces, one four-sphere piece with a vaulted array, and one four-sphere piece with a three-sphere linear array to form a pyramidal array with the fourth order;

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention, assembling two four-sphere pieces each having a vaulted array and three four-sphere pieces each having a three-sphere linear array to form a pyramidal array with the fourth order; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention, assembling one four-sphere piece with a vaulted array, two four-sphere pieces each having a first three-sphere linear array, a four-sphere piece with a second three-sphere linear array and a four-sphere piece with a right-angled array to form a pyramidal array with the fourth order.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring initially to FIG. 1, a multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system in accordance with the present invention includes five types of basic sphere pieces. Each sphere unit of the basic sphere pieces has an identical diameter, and three or four sphere units of each basic sphere piece connect in serial by jointing any two adjacent sphere units. In assembling operation, a predetermined amount of the sphere units of the basic sphere pieces can constitute a triangle-based pyramidal array with an embodied order.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the types of the basic sphere pieces generally includes one three-sphere piece and four different four-sphere pieces which can be selected in types and thus fitted together with one another to constitute a triangle-based pyramidal array.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the construction of the three-sphere piece shall be described in detail. In the drawings each sphere unit of the three-sphere piece shall be identified as “A”. The sphere units of the three-sphere define a 120-angled array with respect to a center of the three-sphere piece. In puzzle game, the number of the three-sphere piece is unlimited and thus freely selected to combine with the corresponding four-sphere piece. Consequently, the selected types and the desired amount of the sphere pieces can be assembled to form the triangle-based pyramidal array.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the construction of the four-sphere piece shall be described in detail. In structure, the types of the four-sphere pieces comprise a vaulted array, a first three-sphere linear array, a second three-sphere linear array and a right-angled array. In the drawings each sphere unit of the vaulted array is identified as “B”, the first three-sphere linear array identified as “C”, the second three-sphere linear array identified as “D”, and the right-angled array is identified as “E”. In puzzle game, the number of the four-sphere piece is unlimited and thus freely selected to combine with the corresponding three-sphere piece.

Still referring to FIG. 1, in assembling, the desired amount of the three-sphere pieces and the four-sphere pieces can be selectively pieced up to generate the triangle-based pyramidal array. The solutions for numbers of the three-sphere pieces and the four-sphere pieces to combine a specific order of a pyramidal array may be considerable and detailed descriptions for each solution may be omitted. Therefore, two solutions for the third order and four solutions for the fourth order of the pyramidal array shall be described more fully below.

Turning now to FIG. 2, in puzzle game, when challenging to assemble the third order of a triangle-based pyramidal array, two three-sphere pieces “A” and one four-sphere piece “C” is selected. In this embodiment, “A” and “C” types of the sphere pieces are pieced together by manipulation to constitute the pyramidal array. Consequently, it is calculated that the total amount of the sphere units in the third order of the triangle-based pyramidal array is ten.

Turning now to FIG. 3, alternatively, when challenging to assemble the third order of another triangle-based pyramidal array, two three-sphere pieces “A” and one four-sphere piece “B” is selected. In this embodiment, “A” and “B” types of the sphere pieces are pieced together by manipulation to constitute a pyramidal array. Consequently, it is calculated that the total amount of the sphere units in the third order of the triangle-based pyramidal array is ten.

Turning now to FIG. 4, when challenging to assemble the fourth order of a triangle-based pyramidal array, four three-sphere pieces “A” and two four-sphere pieces “C” are selected. In this embodiment, “A” and “C” types of the sphere pieces are pieced together by manipulation to constitute a pyramidal array. Consequently, it is calculated that the total amount of the sphere units in the fourth order of the triangle-based pyramidal array is twenty.

Turning now to FIG. 5, when challenging to assemble the fourth order of a further triangle-based pyramidal array, four three-sphere pieces “A”, one four-sphere piece “B”, and one four-sphere piece “C” is selected. In this embodiment, “A”, “B” and “C” types of the sphere pieces are pieced together by manipulation to constitute a pyramidal array. Consequently, it is calculated that the total amount of the sphere units in the fourth order of the triangle-based pyramidal array is twenty.

Turning now to FIG. 6, when challenging to assemble the fourth order of a yet further triangle-based pyramidal array, two four-sphere pieces “B”, and three four-sphere pieces “C” is selected. In this embodiment, “B” and “C” types of the sphere pieces are pieced together by manipulation to constitute a pyramidal array. Consequently, it is calculated that the total amount of the sphere units in the fourth order of the triangle-based pyramidal array is twenty.

Turning now to FIG. 7, when challenging to assemble the fourth order of a yet further triangle-based pyramidal array, one four-sphere piece “B”, two four-sphere pieces “C”, one four-sphere piece “D”, and one four-sphere piece “E” is selected. In this embodiment, “B” through “E” types of the sphere pieces are pieced together by manipulation to constitute a pyramidal array. Consequently, it is calculated that the total amount of the sphere units in the fourth order of the triangle-based pyramidal array is twenty.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferred embodiment, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims. 

1. A multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system, comprising: a plurality of three-sphere pieces each having three identical sphere units defining a single type of a three-sphere array adapted to fit for a triangle-based pyramidal array; and a plurality of four-sphere pieces each having four identical sphere units defining at least one type of a four-sphere array adapted to fit for the triangle-based pyramidal array; wherein the selected types and the desired amount of the three-sphere pieces and the four-sphere pieces can be assembled to form the triangle-based pyramidal array with various orders.
 2. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 1, wherein the three-sphere array of the three-sphere piece defines an angled array.
 3. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 2, wherein the angled array of the three-sphere piece has an included angle of 120 degrees.
 4. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 1, wherein the four-sphere arrays of the four-sphere pieces are selected from a group including a vaulted array and a first three-sphere linear array.
 5. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 4, wherein the group further includes a second three-sphere linear array and a right-angled array.
 6. The multi-functional pyramid sphere-puzzle system as defined in claim 1, wherein the fourth order of the triangle-based pyramidal array can be constructed by the four-sphere arrays of the four-sphere pieces consisting of a vaulted array, a first three-sphere linear array, a second three-sphere linear array and a right-angled array. 